Whispering Meadows Home Owner Association 2015 Annual Meeting

Board Members Rick Browning Director - President Mark Gall Director - Vice-President Amanda Tessoff Director - Social Laura Vogel - Treasurer Jolene Main - Secretary

Committee Members Mark Gall & Dave Scalpone Grounds & Architectural Kendrin Gall Newsletter Amanda Tessoff Social Dave Haney Violations Kendrin Gall & Sarah Klimas Welcoming Mark Gall, Mark Erickson & Rick Browning Bylaws

2014 in review Damage inflicted to our subdivision surroundings Repairs made in our neighborhood Improvements implemented to the neighborhood Future improvements planned for the home subdivision environment Budget Issue

Damage infliction on our subdivision Vehicles running down traffic signs Vehicles doing damage to home owners lawns with their tires Vehicles running down mail boxes Vehicles striking entrance signs Damage to home owners’ lawns other than from cars driving over lawns

Vehicles running down stop signs and running down speed bump signs The association has replace a number of signs and posts through out the 2013 and 2014 years Association purchases the signs and posts/hardware, remove the damaged and replace it with new No outside company has been hired for any of the installations All of the installation work has been done by volunteers

Vehicles doing damage to home owners lawns with their tires

Vehicles running down mail boxes

Vehicles Striking Entrance Sign

Whispering Meadows vs Brentwood Subdivisions

Vehicles causing damage to home owners lawns other than tires Brown blades of grass near road Snow removal shovels uplifting lawns Home owners have contacted us in regard to salt damaging their lawn on Whispering Meadows Dr. Home owners have contact us in regard to snow removal shovel uplifting their lawn edge

Repairs made in our neighborhood Police reports were filed for damages to the stop sign, speed bump, and mail boxes Police report was filed for damage to the entrance sign Insurance claim made and collected for the entrance sign damage for $3700 Home owners repaired their own mail boxes Association contracted repairs to main entrance sign

Repairs (continued) A&N filled cracks and performed minor repair to holes in black top Stop signs, speed bumps and posts were replaced Many homes sustained damage due to the ice storm and had multiple repairs performed (roofing, siding, painting…..so-on)

Improvements implemented in the neighborhood Allied Construction covered black top for both entrances Replaced old light fixtures with new on the entrance sign posts Replacing two old wood sign and repairing pillars with new inscribed signs of limestone Trimmed 14 pine trees in five cul-de-sacs, and removing overgrowth and debris

Old to New

Unkempt to Cleaner

Future improvements planned for the subdivision Replacement and repair on the Jordan Iron Works iron casting drains on curb side Repair of cracking cement in various locations on curb side Repair of water runoff where large crack and gravel underlayment needs repair and Rosewood Parkway south west cul-de-sac Review all road conditions and evaluate for further repairs

Budget Issues 2014 budget as proposed RESERVE ACCOUNTS (opening balance) $132,000 CHECKING ACCOUNT (opening balance) $27,000 INCOME dues (133 X $350)$46,550 EXPENSES lawn cutting$4,000 snow plowing and salting$20,000 road repairs$30,000 insurance$1,200 social events, welcoming$1,500 mailing, printing, website$2,000 meeting room, taxes, utilities, legal$7,000 landscaping improvements$50,000 (cul-de-sacs, entrances) draw-down from reserves$69, operations as experienced RESERVE ACCOUNTS (opening balance)$132,000 CHECKING ACCOUNT (opening balance) $27,000 INCOME dues (133 X $350)$45,700 EXPENSES lawn cutting$3,990 snow plowing and salting$28,010 road repairs$49,620 insurance$1,150 social events, welcoming$1,920 mailing, printing, website$560 meeting room, taxes, utilities, legal$7,230 landscaping improvements$7,330 (cul-de-sacs, entrances) draw-down from reserves$54,110

2015 Budget Proposal lawn cutting$4, snow plowing and salting$20, road repairs$30, insurance$1, social events$1, mailing, printing, website$2, taxes, utilities, legal, etc.$7, landscaping improvements$25, (cul-de-sacs, entrances) draw-down from reserves$44,150.00

Budget and Dues If everyone pays their dues, we take in $46,550 in income In 2014, we spent nearly $100k, or $55k more than we took in from $350/house dues In 2015, we are looking like we’ll need to spend $90k, or $45k more than dues Dues have remained at $350/house for as long as anyone can remember Costs have risen significantly (for everything) We have measurably cut costs for winter care…

Budget Issues Last summer I was called to a home on Whispering Meadows Drive. Owner concerned that their lawn is always brown, “being killed at the road side by salting during the winter”. Some time later, I requested a copy of the salting results for last winter from our treasurer and researched the amount of salt dropped during the 2013 – year. Not being an experts I contacted our grounds person Mark Gall. I obtained documents from road commissions reports through out the U.S. and other independent papers having to do with the application of salt for melting ice on roads.

Road Salt Use in United States / Mi. Referring to the Federal Highway Administration and Transportation Research board 1988, Highway Statistics under Synthesis of Highway practice / de-icing chemical use. – According to the report, “Official salt application varies from state to state, although most are between 200 and 400 lb/lane- mile on high priority highways”. Referring to the Great Lakes Michigan Table on official salt use policies: – Salt applied at 225 lb/lane-mi on primary highways. – Salt and sand mixtures used on lower-priority roads, depending on storm temperature and severity. – Average Annual Loading (ton/lane-mile) in Michigan =12.9ton

A&N Salt Drop and Snow Removal for

A&N Salt Deposit tons = 192,000 lbs salt dropped in Whispering Meadows on the hills and intersections during the 2013 and 2014 year according to A&N invoices There are 2.5 linear miles of road in Whispering Meadows Subdivision Approximately 1 linear mile or 40%of roads consist of hills and intersections On average 2.28 tons or 4571 lbs of salt are deposited on 1 linear mile of road according to A&N invoices The recommendation from the Federal Highway Administration and Department of Transportation is 200 to 400 lbs per 1 linear mile. Dropping 4571 lbs of salt where 400 lbs is recommended is a percentage of times or 1142% more than needed. What can be affected by this amount of salt being dropped?

Winter Care Costs by Vendor